A firefighter gives assistance after Les Republicains party candidate Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet collapsed after an altercation with a passerby while campaigning in the 5th arrondissement in Paris on June 15, 2017, ahead of the second round of the French legislative election. (GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT/AFP/Getty Images)

Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, a candidate up for election in Sunday’s second round of legislative elections, was left unconscious on Thursday in Paris after a frightening encounter with a protester, according to The Guardian. Kosciusko-Morizet, a former government minister who once ran for mayor of Paris, was handing out flyers in anticipation of the coming election. An angry protester, described as a middle-aged man, then reportedly approached her screaming insults before snatching the stack of flyers from Kosciusko-Morizet’s hand. Kosciusko-Morizet, fearing the man was about to hit her, got into a defensive stance and braced for impact, according to witness. Instead, he threw the flyers in her face. However, in trying to protect herself, she lost her balance and fell to the ground, hitting her head.

News photos in the seconds after the incident showed a harrowing scene as she lay lifeless on the sidewalk and people rushed to her aid. Kosciusko-Morizet, 44, was on the ground unconscious for several minutes until medics were able to revive her and take her to the hospital, where she received further treatment. She also got a visit from France’s new Prime Minister Édouard Philippe, who spoke out against the assault. “I condemn this act of unacceptable violence,” said Philippe, who, like Kosciusko-Morizet, is a member of the Les Républicains party.

Police have reportedly opened an investigation and witnesses said they heard the man call her a “crappy bobo” before running off.